


Nightfall

by Prince_Indy



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Autistic Spencer Reid, Canon-Typical Violence, Dad Spencer Reid, Dad!SpencerReid, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Foster Care, High IQ, Kid Fic, Nightmares, Original Character(s), Spencer Reid is doing his best, Wisdom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:47:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25270072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prince_Indy/pseuds/Prince_Indy
Summary: From daylight to dark Spencer Reid is the resident genius for the BAU, but when night falls, his intellect can't always help him raise his child and he has to step into new territory.
Relationships: Spencer Reid & Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





	1. Welcome home

The soft cry of a newborn is normally a happy sound, that is if the mother of the child is there to calm the small child. Adoption centers leave little room to smile when the cries ring out. Spencer spins in the direction quickly as the source of the noise appears, angry as ever. He glances up at the caretaker breifly before being handed the baby.

A small boy swaddled in a baby blanket. He recognized the blanket as one provided by hospitals. Spencer makes a mental note to provide him with a much more comfortable one soon. Tears prick the back of his eyes and his throat becomes sore as he fights back his emotion. 

Spencer had imagined this day for many years. The chance to give a child a home they otherwise might never have. One to florish and grow in. One with a stable presence that would never leave. His did, they all did. He didn't blame them though, he wasn't the easiest person to care about. He mother disagreed, but she was always different. He wouldn't leave though, he made that promise to himself 3 days after his own father left. Then he bacame addicted to drugs and knew he would have to wait, Spencer wouldn't bring a innocent life into something as nasty as that. To being a child up in a harsh reality like that was something he would never forgive himself for. 

He had moved apartments, both for the extra room and to be away from the unpleasant memories of needles and unconscious anger. Moving books wasn't easy, the classics were dence and heavy. They made his shoulders ache but never the less gave him a project. He moved up a floor in his building, not wanting to raise concern with his friends. After explaining the situation to his landlady, a lovely woman named Alisha, she agreed to not charge him for breaking his lease. 

His apartment was made safer and the extra room he gained was painted over in a light yellow. It had needed fixing up anyway and wasn't a problem. There was a white crib that would be able to be made into a toddlar bed built in the corner as well as a shelf with educational toys. Some made of wood, others colorful and soft. A bookself of early learner workbooks, children's classics such as dr. Seuss, and other more complex books sat on the other side of the room. A woven rocking chair sat next to the door, and adjacent to the changing table, it was comfortable and quaint. Spencer was excited to spend time to time in it. 

The young man, now only 27, held a child in his arms. For as intelligent as he may be, Spencer could not fathom being a father; yet, here he was holding the infant he will now call his son. He finalized the paperwork and took the child to the car. There would be check ups on his son in 2, 4, and 16 weeks but he didn't mind. It was important his son was well cared for. He would need to find a long term caregiver. He would look into at homem

Spencer had decided not to tell the team of his decision. The extent of their knowlege was that Spencer was taking two weeks off. He would be available for call in consultations however. The only person other than his son's social worker to know of the adoption was his mother. She was told everything. Diana believed it was a wonderful idea. She knew, even on her less than good days that her son would be a amazing father. It was a closed adoption so Garcia wouldn't be able to snoop efficiently so he needn't worry about her. 

He drove them home in his car. While he preferred the metro or the train, neither of those would be safe for his baby. So he dusted off his old model volvo and got it fixed up. It wasn't that he disliked driving, it just wasn't efficient for him. He lived rather close to his job and gas prices were too high this time of year, not that they ever got that low.

Reality hit him like a ton of bricks as he neared his home. He let himself sink into the thought of being a father and he began to weep. Happy tears. He pulled into his parking lot quiety, thankful his crying didn't impair him from driving safely. He unbuckled his son and smiled, hot tears still sliding down his face. 

"Welcome home, sweetheart," The man said quiety, voice hoarse from the long ride home. He kissed the sleeping baby on his head.

Welcome home, Woodrow Dian Reid, welcome home.


	2. How Hotch found out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> !!Trigger warning!! Graphic descriptions of deaths

The case was hard. Not long, but very hard. It was the second busload of kids (and drivers) to go missig in 6 months.

The town of Franklin was quite small so a missing bus from one of the only two elementary schools for a 75 mile radius was quite concerning. What was more concerning however was how each child had their fingers cut off. The bus driver also had a note in her mouth when the bus was found. It was a detailed description of how the event went down. It was as specfic as to name each child by order of death. The unsub who did this was disturbed.

The team had been called in when a second bus load of children disappered in the same way. Spencer was able to profile the geography and the linguistics but it took him longer than normal. Having a 8 month old at home made child cases much more stressful. 

They successfully caught the unsub, or in this case unsubs, in the act. Sadly, 11 of the 23 children aboard and the driver had been murdered. They had to walk away from the case with 33 dead kids and an unsub who was in jail. It did not feel like a win, even if it was one.

The jet ride home was taking much longer than Spencer would have liked it to, his mind replaying the scene over and over as they sped through the sky. Spencer was ever more hesitant to send his son to school now, even if that wasn't for years to come. He worked himself up, the entire ride home that he wasn't even consciously aware he had arrived at the nanny's house.

He let himself breath and tried to drag himself out of his own head. He vowed to never bring his work home with him. He got out of his car and walked up to the door, knocking quietly to the couplet 'shave and a haircut'. It made him feel better that everyone knew it was him because he had a special knock. 

The nanny, a little old man name August (who conveniently married a woman named june), answered the door. "Ah Doctor Reid, come in, come in please!" He said with a smile. He stepped aside to let Spencer in, giving him a fatherly pat on the shoulder when the young man passed by.

"Papa!" A squeal like sound came from the small boy in a mobile seat. Woodrow was advanced for his age. Not like Spencer was, for as much as he could tell right now, but definitely bright. Reid had skipped the baby talking phase with his son, just talking to him as if he understood every word he said already.

"Hello, Woody. I missed you" Spencer replied calmly to his child, picking him up and placing him on his ribcage. It wasn't the most comfortable position for Spencer but it was the best for Woodrow's sake, as long as he didn't kick Spencer that is. Spencer spoke to his son and the nanny for a moment more before excusing himself for the night. 

Spencer relaxed his shoulders, which he wasn't aware were tensed at all as he put his child in the carseat. He gor into the car and started to drive home, which included a very curvy road.

Woody did not take kindly to the trip home tonight, the road seemed to upset his stomach. He began to whine as they went down the road before busting out in full blown crying mode by the time they arrived home. Spencer carried his things and his crying baby up the steps to the elevator. He did his best to calm the poor boy but his efforts were fruitless. He tried to shush the boy and get him to sleep but he could only cry. 

Spencer found it odd as his small son usually enjoyed car rides. By the time he stepped inside, Spencer felt like crying to. He managed to calm the boy down long enough to feed him but the crying only started again. He began to work through his mental list of ways to stop Woodrow's crying. He changed him, read to him, gave him a bath, tried talking, shushing and playing. Nothing. Nothing was working. Reid sat down in the rocker and tried to rock them both to sleep. Woodrow was not having it. The man didn't realize it but hot tears began running down his face.

"I'm sorry baby, I know you're upset, Papa is too. You've had a long day. How I wish you could talk so i can fix the problem." He spoke through silent sobs. Woody's being loud enough for the both of them. Spencer didn't know what to think. His brain wasn't supplying him with anything. So he texted the first contact he knew could help.

_Reid 10:59- > hey. I need some help. Not an emergency, so don't bust down my door. Please. I moved up one floor, same room number though. _

_Hotch 11:04- > Are you okay Reid? I'm on my way. _

_Reid 11:07- > kinda. I will explain when you get here. _

Reid sat his phone down, and stood up. He moved over to his bathroom and sat Woodrow down. In the bathtub there was a swinging baby bath. It was easy to move when Spencer need to shower but toherwise lived in the bath. He changed out of his contacts, and into his glasses as fast as he could, poking himself twice in the process. He was able to get it done and pick up his thrashing baby before he got hurt so that was a win in his book. 

In 15 minutes of Hotch receiving Reid's text, he was climbing the stairs. He came to Reid's door. He tried the knob first and knocked quiety before stepping inside. He was immediately hit with the smell of baby powder and the wails of a child. That was not what he was expecting. He followed the sound to the nursery and saw Spencer pacing the room trying to sooth an infant. He cleared his throat and Spencer looked up, back at his baby, and up once more. He had a desperate and stressed look on his face. 

"Oh thank god you are here. I picked him up eariler and he was fine but then on the way home, he got upset and hasn't calmed down since- Well he did when he ate but started up again after.- I don't know what i did. He isn't normally like this. Oh Woody, what's wrong sweetheart?" Spencer tried to make a coherent explanation while fighting back the emotions he was facing. 

Aaron's fatherly instincts kicked into high gear. "Okay, okay calm down. Can i see him?" He asked simply. He was passed the fussy baby before he continued. "You should go change out of your work clothes. You're a little messy" He explained, trying to cosole his friend.

Spencer nodded and disappeared into another room. He donned a pair of dr. Who pajama bottoms and a grey Caltech shirt before returning. He calmed himself down, feeling stupid for asking, moreso begging Hotch to come. What if he wasn't meant for that. He shook his head and body, jumping a few times. Ridding of those thoughts. He noticed the quiet. It was amazing. He walked back into the nursery to find it empty, so instead walked into the main room to find Hotch sitting on the couch, talking to his child. It made his chest feel warm. He walked over and joined the pair on the couch.

"Hey, you feeling any better?" Hotch asked softly, in the voice he reserved for Jack and on occasions like this, Spencer. 

Spencer simply nodded.

"So, I know you probably already know this logically, but what just happened was he got upset cause he knew you were upset and visa versa. This happens sometimes. You did the right thing by reaching out to me, so don't even try to apologize, Reid." The older man explained, a soft smile on his face as he looked down at a now sleeping Woodrow. 

"I- so i guess i owe you an explanation now, huh?"

"You do" Aaron said lightheartedly as he passed Spencer his baby.

Spencer clung to the small boy quickly. "I adopted him- Woodrow that is- 6 months ago about 3 months after I got clean. I uh- I have always really wanted a child, and i was really numb and depressed and he gave me something to live and stay clean for, y'know. He uh- he's not normally like this. He called me papa starting about a week ago. It was a great feeling. I just- I don't want to fail him is all."

Hotch just nodded simply. "You won't. The phrase it takes a village is true. Does anyone else know?" 

"My mom"

"Yes, of course. You said his name was Woodrow? As in wilson?" 

"Yeah" Spencer said, letting out a breathy laugh. Maybe having someone who knew wasn't so bad. 

Spencer still felt gulty for making Hotch come over so late. He put Woody to bed and offered to make Hotch some food. The man gratefully accepted, not having eaten eariler. They ate gumbo and talked. Hotch making quick work of Spencer's insecurities. When Hotch left, Spencer cleaned the apartment up and collapsed into bed. He was thankful the baby slept through the night as he had an emotions hangover the next morning.

Work would be hell today, but at least his secret was a little less secretive now.. He made a mental note to thank Hotch again and started his day.


	3. Growing

Houses are very expensive, especially in the spur of the moment when your top floor decides to flood, rendering your home and most of your belongings molded and wet. That's why Mr. And Mrs. Lynn ended up in Spencer's guest room. The couple, who Woodrow decided to call Auggy and Mrs. Junebug, had been apart of their lives for 3 and a half years now. Welcoming them into the apartment until their house could be repaired and cleaned was Spencer's idea but Woody had surely sealed the deal. They would be able to watch the young boy as always and minimize travel as well. They tried to refuse their normal pay, but Spencer would have none of that. The arrangement was working quite well, he thought. 

The couple were due to return home in two days, after one final check of the house. This did not sit well with Woodrow, causing the child tobe quite moody. He hadn't left his room since lunch had been served, opting out of their normal boardgame time. This worried the elderly couple as they loved the boy as their own.

August knocked quietly on the door and peaked into his charge's room, only to find it empty. He felt his heartrate rise slightly as he searched the other rooms. A soft tuft was peaking out from the other side of Spencer's bed when he flicked the light on. He calmed himself before walking over to the boy. "Hey 'Row, what has got you so down in the glums today?" He asked, his voice slighty sticky sounding. The man's voice always sounded like he had a mouth full of taffy, sometimes because it was. August loved candy

"Don't want you to leave. Love having you here" Woodrow mumbled softly as he buried his face in the man's chest.

"We have to, sweetpea, but you'll come back and see us as always soon after. Just like we used to." A sweet, sugar like voice supplied from the door. June Lynn was from west Tennessee, with a thick southern drawl and a eye for cooking. She also had a passion for bugs. 

"Doesn't make it happy tho'" 

"I know, Woodrow, i know," The old man said emphatically. "I did get you something that might make it a little better though," He said, watching the boy's eyes light up. His wife traded his place to comfort the child she dubbed her own as he hurried through the stocked apartment. The gentleman hurried back, setting down a paperback book topped with a ribbon. It was a fiction book about a brother and sister who go on adventures. It was meant for older kids, yes, around 6 or 7, but Woodrow was a bright young lad. A few years advanced, thanks to Spencer, and enjoyed fiction. 

It was the first book in a large series that the couple planned to spread out as 'just because' gifts for the next while. A lung crushing hug from the small boy and sparkling blue eyes told them it was exactly what he needed. With a long string of thank yous the boy ran off to his room to read his book. With one last thank you, his door was shut once more and he went to his designated reading spot and got lost in the words.

Spencer hadn't known that Woodrow had this spot, or that he read on his own at all. He hoped he did, keeping his bookself stocked with all levels of books. Even if he just admired the pictures, it was learning. 

Spencer came home, hung up his bag, discarded his shoes and locked the door back. He rubbed his face as he walked over to exchange pleasantries with his roommates. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he would miss having them present all the time. He felt almost normal around them. They even listened to his rambles. 

"His room?" Spencer eventually asked quietly, to which he received a knowing nod and a sweet smile. Spencer quietly made his way down the hall and knocked on the white door. Each room in the apartment had a different colored door. The knock was soft, in case the boy was asleep but there incase he wasn't.

Spencer poked his head in, hair falling in his eyes slightly. He had just gotten off his crutches and cane but was still sore sometimes. He dislocated his knee having a dance party with Woodrow. That was frightening for the boy but they got through it together. This prevented him from getting a haircut, that was his excuse at least. He smiled fondly at the little boy tucked under his bed, reading a book.

Woodrow read the same way Spencer did, index or middle finger tracing down the page as he went. His son, however, was reading at the expected pace. He simply wanted to copy his father. Spencer felt tears well up in his eyes as he watched his son read. He knew his son was intelligent, but his firsts (or percived firsts) were always emotional. 

The toddler's bed sat about 2 and a half feet off the ground and had steps going up to the bed. This made for the perfect hide out to read. Woodrow stocked it with some extra comfy blankets and pillow, a flash light and a few fruit snacks he snuck from the cabinet. Well, snacks he thought he snuck, and Spencer let him have that belief. He stole snacks and ate them in his room all the time. 

Spencer grew up, for the most part, eating what he could and saving any other money when possible. Life from the age of 8 on was difficult, Spencer promised himself and Woodrow that would never happen to his child. He decided that day that he would plenty of whatever his child needed, that he would never have to go without. 

He was deterimined to stick to that promise, even if he didn't feel like an adequate father at times. Watching his son read and learn so quickly made him realize, his child wasn't the only one growing these days. He was too, and for once in his life he felt he was growing in the right direction.


End file.
